UMHB looks to move on campus

After 13 years of playing at nearby Belton High School, the
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor announced that the premier firm in
sports architecture, Populous, has been hired to design a football
stadium for the Belton campus. The project will feature an
innovative design in which the stadium will be built in conjunction
with a new student union building, which will anchor the
visitors’ side of the stadium.

Early estimates call for the stadium to carry a price tag
between $20 million and $22 million. Planners hope to break ground
on the project in early 2012, with the goal of having the stadium
ready for play in the fall 2013 season.

The Populous name is well known in sports circles
as the designer of such prominent, award-winning venues as Yankee
Stadium in New York and Minute Maid Park, Toyota Center, Reliant
Stadium and the new Dynamo Stadium in Houston. Populous has also
worked with more than 120 colleges and universities across the
country, having designed such projects as TCF Bank Stadium for the
University of Minnesota, Rice University’s Autry Court
renovation, and the University of South Carolina
ballpark.

The firm, formed when HOK's sports division split
off from the rest of the firm, rose to prominence with its design
for Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 1994, which earned the
prestigious American Institute of Architects National Honor Award
for Architecture. Populous repeated that feat two more times in
1995 with their work on Progressive Field in Cleveland and Hong
Kong Stadium, becoming the only sports architecture firm to earn
the AIA recognition three times. With offices in the United Kingdom
and Australia as well as the U.S., Populous has become known as the
leading designer of venues for football, baseball, basketball, and
soccer around the world, specializing in structures designed to
draw people and communities together for unforgettable
experiences.

Lead architect for the UMHB project will be Earl
Santee, AIA, who serves on the Populous board of directors and
works from the firm’s office in Kansas City. During his
26-year career at Populous, Santee has become one of the most
experienced sports designers in the world. His portfolio of
projects have helped define cities and campuses; it includes such
projects as the new Yankee Stadium, Target Field in Minneapolis,
Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, the Mile High Stadium renovation in
Denver, Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio, and new ballparks for
the universities of North Carolina and South Carolina. Santee
became involved in the UMHB project through discussions with a
friend of the university, Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane, Jr.,
who worked with Santee on the creation of Minute Maid Park and
other projects over the last 15 years.

“This distinctive project will merge student
life and sports into an authentic experience in the heart of the
campus,” said Santee. “It’s more than just a
football stadium – it’s redefining an entire campus
community.”

The new UMHB stadium will be built near the center
of the campus on University Drive, adjacent to the Frank and Sue
Mayborn Campus Center. By locating the stadium near the Mayborn
Center (which houses the university’s arena), the new student
union building, and nearby intramural fields, planners aim to
create a “student activity zone” surrounded by student
residence halls and apartments.

“Our goal,” said president Randy
O’Rear, “is to encourage students to become involved in
many facets of campus life by placing these activity areas within
easy walking distance of where our students live. We know that
students who become involved in campus life are more likely to
persist in their studies and graduate; we want our campus to be a
place where our students are involved both in and out of the
classroom in activities that help them learn and grow as we prepare
them for successful lives of leadership and service.”

Plans call for the stadium to seat up to 10,000
spectators, with room for future expansions if needed. In addition
to locker rooms, concession areas, and restroom facilities, the
stadium will include a press box, meeting rooms, and suites for
entertaining university guests. The stadium’s proximity to
the new student union building will make it possible for the
student union to form a backdrop behind the visitor’s stands;
banquet rooms and student dining areas in the SUB will be
strategically placed to incorporate views of the stadium interior
to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for students and visitors to
the campus.

The stadium will be the first permanent home for the UMHB
Crusader football team, which has achieved rapid national
prominence since its first season in fall 1998. Known as “The
Cru,” the team has posted an impressive 121-32 win-loss
record in 13 seasons. UMHB has won or shared eight of the last nine
American Southwest Conference football championships and played in
the Stagg Bowl in 2004. The team has made two other trips to the
national semifinals and is one of only two Division III programs to
have won at least one postseason game in each of the last seven
seasons.

Coach Pete Fredenburg is clearly excited about “The
Cru” getting a stadium of its own.

“Our team and our coaches are extremely excited about the
prospect of playing our games at a stadium on campus,” said
Fredenburg. “It is thrilling to see the renderings and to
talk with Earl Santee about the project and see the incredible
knowledge that he has about designing these
facilities.”

“I think the stadium is going to be a great landmark for
our campus,” Fredenburg added. “Obviously it will
enhance our recruiting efforts for football, and I believe it will
also benefit the recruiting efforts for the university as a
whole.”